Our Hell Is a Good Life
by afamiliarsmile
Summary: When the people around her begin to give up hope of ever finding Stefan, Caroline decides to take matters into her own hands. But she never could have expected what her actions would lead to. Stefan/Caroline, Klaus/Caroline, Stefan/Katherine.


**Author's Note:** I'm not entirely sure what this is honestly. It was just an idea that came to me and I ran with it because my friend was begging me to finish so she could read it.

This is kind of cracky, just as a warning. Although, honestly I do think I like how it turned out.

Please leave me a review with your thoughts because I'd love to know what all of you think!

_Disclaimer_: I don't own _The Vampire Diaries_ and am in no way affiliated with the show.

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><p>For months, they had all been scrambling about and searching for any lead to bring them to Stefan. Every follow up led to a dead end and every dead end led to the people around her giving up. Slowly the hope faded and everyone continued to go about with their lives. It was something Caroline couldn't exactly grasp. It had only been a couple of months; they hadn't even hit the year mark yet. But even Damon—Damon who was so intent on finding his brother in the beginning—was starting to drink more heavily and avoid the news Caroline brought to him.<p>

She was flustered and she often forced the new lead under Damon's nose. But slowly, and she couldn't say she was entirely surprised, he stopped paying attention. Damon had given up hope like all the rest of them and she often wanted to give him a good punch in the face. Damon was supposed to be the only one on her side, the only one who wanted to fight to find his brother. She called him a coward and every other hurtful thing she thought of.

She ended up slammed against a wall every night, a hand gripping her throat just tightly enough to make her cry out.

Damon hated the way she painted him out to be. Yet, he didn't do a thing to change it. He walked about in his depressed haze of alcohol and blood—that he thankfully was drinking from bags and not actual people—until one day, for whatever reason, he went to visit the Gilberts. Caroline swore that he returned more smitten than before and it disgusted her.

Soon Elena was showing up at the boarding house and Caroline was surprised to feel the instinct to protect her territory, even if it was never really hers, and even when the property technically did belong to Elena. Instead, she would smile and greet her friend before returning to her research. She did it on purpose; she wanted them to hurt because it was better than seeing them move about like Stefan never even existed. But she didn't get closer to finding him.

"What if we found Elijah instead?" Caroline asked hopefully one day, news reports of animal attacks spread out before her.

"He's dead, Blondie. Klaus probably has him well hidden."

"That doesn't mean that we shouldn't at least _try_. Damon, we need to find Stefan." She had pleaded and tried to get him to see reason again. Anything to remind him that his brother still needed their help.

"Klaus made a deal and I'm pretty sure he intends to keep it." Damon had trailed off before crossing the room to get some alcohol.

"He'll have him for ten years, Damon, _ten years_!" She had fired back, her anger flaring and Damon had rolled his eyes. "You care, you have to. So why won't you do anything about it?"

The conversation led to her back making contact with the wall yet again. It was a vicious cycle between the two of them and she was getting really sick of it.

But what infuriated her even more was Damon with his stupid, condescending smirk approaching her a week before Elena's birthday. He was doing that eye thing of his and she rolled hers in response. It was an automatic reaction.

"What?" She sighed and pushed back the new articles she had been pouring over. When he placed a cup of coffee in front of her, she knew he was buttering her up for something. "Seriously, Damon, what do you want?"

"For you to take a break," he said and his tone led Caroline to believe that he actually cared. But then his next statement showed exactly where his true intentions rested. "Go back to old Caroline for a bit. Elena's birthday is next week, why don't you plan it or organize it?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" she said before she stood and pushed the coffee mug back into his hands. One look at his face gave her the answer. "By the way, Damon, that's just replacing one thing with another. They'll both be equally tedious and require my complete attention."

But Caroline had agreed to plan the birthday party. Elena was her best friend, even with the recent turmoil. Elena was turning eighteen and that was huge and she did deserve a party, Caroline later realized, but the timing was bad. Although that wasn't Elena's fault, and it was silly to think of it that way, Caroline couldn't understand why finding Stefan was being placed on the back burner. It infuriated her, and more than once she told Damon to plan the stupid party himself if he was so concerned.

But she always finished what she started and Caroline made sure that if she was planning this party that she would do it right. Everything would be perfect because they deserved to have some fun and they were going to have it with or without her. She just wished that Stefan could be there to see Elena and celebrate with her.

So when the day finally came, Caroline did take the time to appreciate her work. Everything looked magnificent and everything was in place. The Grill was bursting with energy and not a single decoration was out of place. The lighting was perfect and cast an eerie but flattering glow over the people running about. The guest of honor had yet to make her appearance and Caroline figured Damon would drag her in at any moment. Of course he would.

Out of all the things that were entirely predictable (including Alaric at the bar, Matt both working and looking around for Elena while effectively avoiding Caroline, and Tyler grinning from across the room) she had not expected her phone to go off because of anyone but Damon. Everyone she knew was around her so the private number was not something she expected to see and she had quietly excused herself to answer the phone call.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"You're looking for Elijah, right?"

"Katherine?" she asked with wide eyes and glanced behind her shoulder as a habit. "I-how did you know that?"

"I know more than you think I do," she replied and Caroline wasn't entirely sure how she was supposed to take that. "I think I've found him."

"So why are you calling me?"

"Because you're the only one in that town looking for Stefan. We're more alike than you think, Caroline."

"I am nothing like you!" she hissed in the phone, appalled by the very thought of being compared to a psychotic bitch.

"You're wrong about that. Do you want to save Stefan or not?"

"Why haven't you called Damon or something?"

"You clearly haven't been listening. You're the only one looking for Stefan," Katherine sounded irritated and it made Caroline roll her eyes at the thought. "I haven't found him yet but I think I've found Elijah. Do you want to find Stefan or not?"

Caroline hesitated, her bottom lip captured between her teeth before she sighed. "What's the plan?"

She was informed in a hushed voice that it looked like Klaus was traveling with Stefan and they were carrying precious cargo. That, Katherine suspected, was bound to be Elijah. The older vampire was jumpy, wanted back up but didn't want to beckon Damon when she knew he would not respond. But Caroline would; sweet, sweet Caroline with her hopeless devotion to her friend and mentor. She agreed as quickly as she could, hesitating only when Katherine instructed her to come alone and keep the plan from the others.

Stefan was worth the sneaking around. But Caroline almost broke her word to tell Bonnie. She figured it would be handy to have a witch on her side; magic could only help her. But Bonnie was more focused on Jeremy and in a panic over the fact that he was seeing his _dead_, ex-girlfriends.

So Caroline left almost immediately and without a word. She didn't leave a letter, a phone call, nothing, just slipped out and left them to focus on the party and keeping Elena happy. Stefan had to know that somebody still cared for him. Somebody that wasn't Katherine. Somebody that wanted him to come home, to come back where he belonged.

She followed Katherine's instructions exactly. Katherine would distract whoever was guarding Elijah with whatever minions she had managed to assemble. Despite the warning everyone else gave over Elijah, she truly believed he would be the only person she could rely on to help. The only one strong enough, wise enough, cunning enough to capture Stefan from whatever web he found himself tangled in.

When she set foot in the empty warehouse, she had to appreciate Katherine's work. The place was empty, completely deserted. In the back of her mind, she might have realized how unrealistic this all seemed. It was far too easy. Surely Klaus would have insured that his brother was well protected. But none of this registered when she found the coffin she was certain Elijah was resting in. Without thinking further, she raced to the wooden obstacle and pried it open, letting out a sigh of relief to find him nestled inside.

"Thank God," she whispered before wrapping her small hands around the dagger protruding from his chest. It was more difficult to remove than she imagined but she managed to pull it a couple of inches. That was until she felt someone grab ahold of her jacket and pull her backward, releasing her grip on the dagger and sending her flying back several feet onto the hard concrete.

"I don't think God is who you should be thanking, love."

Caroline cringed and pushed herself off the ground quickly, spinning around to see a smirking Klaus staring down at her. When she tried to move forward, he was suddenly there, his hand around her neck. She could feel his breath there and she tensed, waiting for him to strike. Instead, he merely held her there. She did not turn to try to look back at him, just continued to stare forward and watched with silent horror as Katherine stepped out of the shadows, walked right up to the coffin, and slammed it shut again. She didn't even look guilty, just smiled and dipped her head in such a manner that reminded Caroline of a sloppy bow. But she felt Klaus chuckle and Caroline could see the fear in Katherine's eyes even as she tried to cover it up.

"It was all you?" Caroline managed to hiss, the accusation burning in her eyes.

"That would be giving her far too much credit," he chuckled and she felt the movement against her back. "Though, Katerina, you played your part quite well."

"It was my pleasure," Katherine replied in a tone that Caroline registered as mocking. If Klaus disapproved, she could not tell.

"I'm going to release you," he whispered in her ear. "And you're not going to run. You will stay absolutely still until I say otherwise."

Caroline grew tense, her muscles protested once before relaxing. She felt her resistance fade away and she cringed, remembering the compulsion from her human life all too well. It was a sensation she had never expected to feel again. So when Klaus moved to stand in front of her, she could only imagine the scornful expression she wore. But Klaus only smirked, and his eyebrow arched in the smallest of movements.

"You are a pretty one aren't you?" Klaus smiled and Caroline found that she preferred the smirk. "And so young, like a child. An infant, even."

"What's the point with all this talking?" Caroline asked and fought a smile at discovering she could talk and that her speech had not been affected by his compulsion. "If you're going to kill me, just get it over with already."

"Oh, he's not going to kill you," Katherine said before moving to the side of Klaus. She kept her distance and her entire posture seemed to scream in protest to standing so close to him. It was strange to see Katherine so uncomfortable.

"Wha-why not?" Caroline asked and her speech slurred as she stumbled to think of a reason why he would keep her alive.

"Tell me, love, are you living off of animal blood as well?"

"I-I tried to," she admitted and saw Katherine roll her eyes, her nose wrinkled in disgust. "I've been drinking from the blood bags kept in the boarding house."

"Not a complete waste," Klaus muttered to himself before looking over at Katherine. Caroline wasn't sure what to expect once she saw Katherine move past her. She heard the retreating footsteps and the silent exchange between the older vampires left her feeling anxious.

"How did you even manage to find her again?" she asked as soon as Klaus focused on her again. "She fled as soon as she got the chance."

"Katerina should know that she can't run from me by now," he replied and stepped back a pace, giving her a quick once over. "Stefan helped me find her."

"So why am I here?"

"Because I haven't been obeying orders."

Caroline's eyes widened at the answer. The voice was so familiar, a comfort in itself, but she couldn't help the bit of horror she felt to hear it so changed. What was most frustrating, however, was her inability to turn to face him and see him approach. Instead, she was left to focus on Klaus and that damn smug look of his that only seemed to grow as the footsteps drew closer.

"Stefan?" Caroline whispered

"Hello Caroline."

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><p>In the beginning, everything was simple. There weren't any murders, nothing that forced her to reveal their true nature. The blood bags came and went and the only thing that remained constant was the company. It was almost comical the way they would all sit around the table like some dinner party with their glasses filled with A negative. Katherine's company wasn't nearly as horrific as she had previously imagined, but Stefan was different. She would catch a glimpse at a time of the struggle he constantly fought after every taste. And Klaus was Klaus, so terrifying and enthralling all at once.<p>

He didn't force anything, not at first. The disproval was evident every time she declined to go out for a hunt but he never pressured her. It was something she hadn't expected and she wondered how long it would last. One night, Stefan admitted that she was only just beginning. She had to build up her tolerance for human blood until the need for something fresh overwhelmed her.

Caroline had told him not to hold her breath and he had looked at her with the smallest of laughs that reminded her so strongly of the days when they would continue their banter in the woods. It was so easy then, everything was, and it wasn't a memory she wanted to relive given the circumstances. She missed the Stefan she knew more than she could possibly say and so she left because it was one more thing on her plate that she didn't want to deal with.

She was avoiding her problems.

It didn't entirely surprise her the day that Klaus came up to her. She had been expecting him for quite some time. And there he was, sitting casually in a chair at the corner of her room looking positively bored and out of place.

But she hadn't expected the orders that came tumbling out of his mouth in a crisp, commanding tone. She didn't miss the threatening undertones either.

That was the day everything changed.

She was kept silent as he explained the situation to her. She started trembling the moment he compelled her to do the one thing she had never expected. She wanted to cry out and scream and everything else that would keep her from walking to the room a couple doors down. But Klaus just sat there, still explaining in the same bored tone, that Stefan needed to let go of Elena and his past life in Mystic Falls. He needed to be completely loyal to Klaus and Klaus alone. For the time being, this would be her duty.

Caroline wanted to tell him to shove his command up his ass. But she couldn't and instead was left with nothing but to obey. She felt the tears as she walked toward Stefan's room and when she finally saw him and his expression, she knew that he was no more willing than she was. His eyes reminded her of the Stefan back home and the reluctance showed through, polluting the ripper Klaus was so intent on him becoming. And she could do nothing but move forward and reach out.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered the choked cry as her fingers stumbled to pull his shirt over his head.

Caroline was certain that she would never forget the look on Stefan's face when he reached that peak. He shuddered and collapsed on top of her while Caroline's eyes were focused on the ceiling when her own body quivered. She stole a glance at Stefan when he moved off her, breathless, chest heaving. He, on the other hand was looking at everything but her. But when their eyes did meet, she caught a glimpse of deep pain and she felt disgusted with herself for being the one to cause it.

"Klaus."

Both of them jumped then and their eyes simultaneously returned to Katherine. Someone Caroline had forgotten was even in the room. When she glanced back at Stefan, he had turned away from her and was in the process of pulling on his pants. The shame fell over her again as she sat up. Katherine's gaze was murderous but at that moment, she was seeing Elena. The realization of the betrayal she had committed fell over her and she covered her mouth and tried to fight back the wave of nausea that fell over her.

The worse part of it was that she had enjoyed herself.

But Caroline wasn't able to think of it for long because the door opened and she was left frantically pulling at the sheet to cover herself. By the time Klaus reentered the room, her knuckles were white from clutching the fabric. Stefan was pulling his shirt over his head. She was shaking as she felt his eyes fall on her.

"Downstairs," he said to Stefan. It sounded too casual for her liking. "You as well, Katerina."

Katherine looked far too happy to oblige. With one last look toward Caroline, she was out the door. She wasn't entirely sure she would be safe around the older vampire. Caroline was still trembling as she drew her knees up to her chest and her chin fell to rest on top.

"I trust you enjoyed yourself," he said teasingly and Caroline shot him a glare. The chill in her eyes would have had any boy from Mystic Falls shrinking away. But Klaus wasn't just a teenage boy. He faced her glare head on with that little smirk of his.

"He's going to hate himself for that," she said in response. When she looked away, she could still feel his eyes lingering. The weight of it left her skin crawling.

"For now, perhaps. But you'll soon find that he returns to his true nature even more every day."

"If that was true you wouldn't need me," she growled. Hearing him talk about Stefan like some bloodthirsty monster was not something she could take. "You don't think he's completely loyal to you. You're using me to try and break his humanity because you can't do it by yourself."

He was gone instantly and Caroline was left without a moment to gather what had occurred. Klaus was leaning over her then, the sheet covering her skin slipping several inches, and she became distinctly aware of her lack of clothing. His eyes reminded her of Tyler's but the veins and the teeth were unmistakably vampire. His hand wrapped around her throat, squeezing tighter than he had that night in the warehouse. This wasn't a game, she realized between the moments of pain; he was looking to actually hurt her.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she felt the bones in her neck crack. The pressure fell away but she felt the smallest pinch when his fangs scrapped along the flesh of her collarbone. She watched through a haze as his tongue dragged along the wound before it closed. She made eye contact before he disappeared again.

"Come downstairs after you heal."

The sound came from the direction of the doorway but Caroline did not reply. She figured Klaus knew that she would comply. His warning made it very clear that she would not come out of this alive should she disobey him again.

Those minutes it took to heal were hell. Angry tears strung her eyes and blurred her vision and she cursed herself for being so naïve to trust Katherine. The whole situation had screamed of deceit and traps but she had foolishly ignored it. Stefan needed her. That was what her mind came up with. But he didn't seem like he was rushing to leave any time soon. Perhaps that was what frightened her the most.

With a shaky hand, she reached up to touch the skin of her throat. She winced at the slight pain and tried to ignore how tender her neck felt as she stood to redress. There was something wrong about putting on the same clothes that Stefan had removed. All it reminded her of was his stressed movements and the look in his eyes as the clothes fell away.

Stefan didn't want her. He never had.

She wondered how everyone back home is coping. She'd been gone for a couple of days and she didn't consider it to be self-centered in believing that they would be looking for her. She wondered if they were able to connect the dots or if they were stumbling around without a clue. Then, as the lighter thoughts crumbled away, she considered how long it would take for them to give up looking for her as well.

But despite her negative thoughts, she still believed in her friends and she longed for them to find a clue. Being at the mercy of Klaus was not a situation she wished to see herself in for long.

She lingered on the negative when she walked downstairs. She isn't surprised to see that both Katherine and Stefan had changed clothes. It's clear by their posture how horrible they viewed tonight's events. But she isn't surprised to see Klaus in the same clothes as before because she knows about the guilt he lacks. She isn't surprised that a muscle in her neck twitches in pain either. And she definitely isn't surprised by the throbbing in her collarbone.

"What's going on?" she asked with a slight lift of her shoulders.

"We're going hunting," Katherine replied and her voice sounded like a snarl.

"You've denied your true nature for too long already."

Caroline wasn't sure if the statement was directed more toward her or Stefan.

* * *

><p>If the first few days of her stay were tame and uneventful, then the following weeks were one large blur of bloodshed. Caroline lived for the hunts, didn't care how much she indulged in the game of cat and mouse. She craved the feeling of warm blood seeping down her throat. She took delight in hearing her victim's screams, the terror in their eyes, and she enjoyed chasing after her prey. She had never felt so animalistic and she couldn't find it in herself to feel ashamed.<p>

Until they returned and she was left alone with her thoughts. Her humanity was crumbling, wishing to be left behind even as it still lingered. She felt it when she recalled the faces of her friends and family. She felt it when she looked at Stefan.

That night had not been the last. In fact, Klaus had them repeat it quite often, always compelling Katherine to watch. It was part of her punishment, he said. And Caroline stopped thinking too much about it after that.

The guilt was still there, not as strong but it remained.

Some nights Stefan initiated the act without Klaus and his compulsion. He was frantic and Caroline could feel the Stefan she knew slipping away with every repeat. He would kiss her now, something he never did in the beginning. But his kisses were tough and demanding and they made Caroline feel cheap. She hated the way he used to turn her around to avoid her face. But now she knows that she hated being able to see his face more. He wasn't Stefan anymore, not really. It was something she always realized when she saw his chin stained red and when she saw the blood mingle with the sweat between them.

But what she hated the most was how she couldn't get enough.

She wasn't stupid enough to believe that she was in love with Stefan Salvatore. That was out of the question and honestly, quite laughable. Even if he no longer was the charming gentlemen who cared so deeply for others and would throw willingly give his life for those that he loves, he still belonged to Elena. She wanted to believe that the Stefan she knew was still there underneath it all, but it seemed highly unlikely. Klaus had him wrapped around his finger and every day Stefan lost a piece of himself. It was torture for Caroline to watch the man she admired so much be destroyed.

Stefan was her mentor and she was his friend. No, he was her best friend and everything was complicated. If they ever managed to escape, she didn't know if she could look at him the same way. Things had changed, for the worse if she was thinking realistically.

Was she in love with Stefan? Of course not. She was not quite so young to blur the lines of love and lust. She had always wanted Stefan because he was unattainable and he wanted someone else. But the moment he chose Elena, he was off limits and Caroline had gone on to focus on the older, more dangerous brother. Yes, perhaps she had reconsidered the option when they started to grow close, but there was something about seeing him so happy with Elena that could change a person. The two of them were so in love; it was obvious and Caroline was not one to ruin a friendship by stealing the boyfriend. She wasn't that type at all.

Did she feel something for Stefan? At this point, she would be lying to herself if she said no. Perhaps that was where most of the guilt was rooted. But, as most stories often go, she didn't intend for the feelings to surface. She had tried to beat them away as quickly as they came. But things never really worked out in her favor. Not even now.

So when Stefan grabbed her arm after a particularly gory night out hunting, she wasn't entirely surprised. She was beginning to understand how quickly blood mixed with sex as a vampire. She didn't even have a moment to feel embarrassed with his lips on her neck and his fingers making quick work of the first couple buttons on her jacket. Katherine was witnessing the urgency but that was nothing new. But there was something about being caught in such a position under the supervision of Klaus.

"That's enough," he growled. Caroline pushed lightly on his shoulder but he must not have moved fast enough because Klaus was already at his side, pulling him back. "Not tonight, Stefan. Caroline, go clean up."

She nodded because there wasn't much else to do. With Klaus, there was no such thing as resistance. He didn't hesitate to use compulsion when things didn't go his way. If Caroline had learned one thing from her stay it was that he favored loyalty. He preferred not having to order his minions to do the small things. She kept that in mind as she headed up stairs to do as she was told. Honestly, she looked forward to cleaning the dried blood out of her hair. It was also a pain in the ass to wash out under the nails.

But she was always left alone with her thoughts in those moments. The faces of her victims would flash briefly. She felt the guilt but only for a moment. It was easier to ignore and she couldn't understand how Stefan put up with it for so long. It was completely exhausting.

Caroline's thoughts strayed back toward Stefan more than once as the water pelted against her back. By the time she was finally finished, her skin was scrubbed almost raw and her hair felt as if it might fall out. It was the only way she ever really insured that the blood didn't remain. It was often something she had to remind herself of while she dressed and today was no different. Although, she would admit that her least favorite part of the hunt was spilling blood onto her clothes. No matter how much she tried that was not a stain she could ever remove.

"Elena, I'm so sorry."

She stopped almost immediately. Her eyes were wide and her mouth had fallen open in shock. Elena being anywhere near here was certainly not an option. She didn't hesitate to race toward the direction of Stefan's voice. But she did hesitate when she felt a pair of arms lock around her waist with a force that knocked the wind out of her. It left her gasping in the stranger's arms.

"I wouldn't walk in right now if I were you."

"Why not?" she found herself asking as she felt the urge to struggle fade away. And that worried her because Klaus was terrifying in every sense. If she were thinking straight, she should have continued to fight back. But Caroline found that she enjoyed living and that the bloodlust had a habit of clouding her overall judgment.

Klaus seemed to lean forward at that moment. She felt his chest against her back and the warm breath on her neck. It was unsettling to feel him rest his chin on her shoulder. It wasn't a position she was entirely comfortable with and she viewed that as a good thing. Perhaps part of her sanity actually did remain intact.

She repeated her question only to fall silent immediately afterward. His fingers tightened around her waist and she felt her muscles tense. From within the room, she could hear the breathless whispers and cries that she had become all too familiar with. Except it didn't entirely add up in her head. Stefan had been speaking to Elena and he clearly had company in his room that didn't take the form of Elena Gilbert. She paused and her head moved to her left to speak with Klaus even as her gaze never left the wood of the door. Everything was starting to explain itself and she could see bits and pieces unfold before her.

"Katherine is in there, isn't she?"

Again, he didn't reply and it was infuriating. She needed something to confirm her suspicions even if the answer seemed obvious. But in the back of her mind, she wondered why he wasn't answering her. She wondered if there was even a real reason. Then, as an afterthought, she wondered if Klaus had ever stood outside the door like he was now when she was in Katherine's place. And that was entirely unsettling in itself.

"She's pretending to be Elena," she said more to herself. "But why would she do that? Katherine wants Stefan for herself. Now that she has him she would have no reason to pretend."

"She's following orders," Klaus said and it gave her a chill feeling his chest vibrate when he spoke.

"You compelled her," she observed and nodded.

"You were growing far too attached," he sighed in what she inferred as agitation. "I don't need you coming up with feelings for him. That wasn't part of the plan."

"And it isn't necessarily something that I could help," she whispered in response. It was only then that she became aware of his fingers tracing patterns through the fabric of her shirt.

"I need Stefan to abandon the life he had before. Katerina was willing to please and she agreed to give him the last push he needed."

"What do you mean?" she asked and shuddered when his hand slipped under her shirt. She didn't welcome the touch and her first instinct was to recoil until she felt the nails of his other hand dig into her skin as punishment.

"Elena? Elena! Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

The cry came from within the room followed by a sob that sounded as if it was torn from Stefan's throat. The sound made her cringe and pull away from Klaus. She was already willing to go in and comfort him even if she didn't completely understand. That was until the smell of the blood finally reached her nose and Klaus held her in place.

"Stefan needed to see what a return on his part would do to Elena," he said against the skin on her neck and the feeling of his breath was replaced with the nipping of his teeth. But he didn't let her pull away.

"You had Stefan drain her," she whimpered.

"Yes and no. I compelled Katerina to let him drink. It was Stefan who did the rest."

"Stefan would never hurt Elena," she argued and was surprised that she still believed the words that came out of her mouth.

"Compulsion might have been necessary," he replied and seemed dissatisfied with the answer. Caroline suspected that he wanted Stefan to drain her himself and realized last minute that it wouldn't have been possible.

She felt sick and pulled away from the Original behind her. She was surprised that he actually let her. But then he was moving toward the door and she knew exactly why he did. She only waited to listen to the beginning of his taunting. Klaus had just proved that Stefan was capable of killing the one person he loved in his miserable existence. But Caroline didn't stay to hear the rest of it. She couldn't force herself to. She was out of the hallway before anyone even had a chance to open the door.

* * *

><p>She probably shouldn't have been entirely surprised the moment her nights with Stefan came to an end. Klaus was punishing her in his own way, just as he had been punishing Katherine. Even now, his twisted mind games were in place. Stefan always seeing Elena and Katherine longing for him to realize that it was her and no one else and forbidden to remind him of such. It was unsettling enough to hear at night but she easily would have chosen that over being forced to watch, which Klaus compelled her to do every so often.<p>

So she was surprised to have Klaus stop her after they came in from a hunt when she moved to follow Stefan and Katherine upstairs. She had learned from the start that even though he enjoyed the power that came with it, Klaus favored those loyal to him to be able to think for themselves. When she turned back to face him, his eyes were still focused on the retreating pair.

"Not tonight, love," he said before pulling her along.

She couldn't help herself from focusing on the blood smeared on his face. Klaus often tore when he bit his victims; he didn't do the clean kills and seeing it left her feeling intimidated by his presence, more so than she already was. She froze when he dipped in close to her neck. There was something in his posture that let her know his fangs were out and it was confirmed when she felt them nick the skin.

"Klaus," she began and tried to fight back the feeling of unease.

"Stop thinking about him," he said harshly against her skin before biting and her immediate reaction was to shove him away with all her strength, fangs bared.

There was some satisfaction in seeing them fly back into the wall but he was upright before she even had time to blink. He was snarling and she could see her blood on his lips. When he moved closer, she shrank away in fear like the good little minion she was. His hand gripped her chin, forcing her to hold his gaze. She cringed to feel his other hand slip up the back of her shirt.

"I-I don't want—I can't," she whimpered and tried to look away but he held her there, his jaw clenched and eyes unblinking.

"You can," he replied evenly. "And I'd prefer if you were willing."

If there was anything she learned the moment that Klaus pushed his lips onto hers, it was that he was vicious by nature. Everything was teeth and tongue and she could taste her own blood and feel it stain her mouth. His touch was harsh and demanding, more so than Stefan's had ever been and when she found herself being pushed against a counter, she cried out. The surface dug into her back and she forced herself not to think about what she was doing. If he wanted something, he would take it with or without any consent from her.

But there was a part of her that wanted to cause him pain, to make him bleed and she followed that instinct before she truly considered what would come of it. As he tore her clothing away, she leaned forward and quickly bit into his neck, felt and heard him growl before pulling her away from the wound by her hair. She found herself glaring back just as strong before he smirked and pulled her back to him, reclaiming everything that she had taken and then some.

It wasn't slow and it wasn't gentle and he was everything that she could never expect. It was more of a fight than anything and she found that it thrilled him. Secretly, she came to realize that it thrilled her too and she wondered if that was just in her nature as well.

It was there on the floor, with both of their blood mixed between them, that Stefan and Katherine found them.

Caroline didn't even have it in her to feel ashamed as she looked up to meet Stefan's steely gaze, then Katherine's amused one, and finally she settled on Klaus and the look that she couldn't read. Klaus was an enigma entirely of his own nature and not something she ever believed or wished she'd discover. But she was a piece of it, as much as Stefan and Katherine. And somehow that was comforting to her, if not entirely terrifying. But she grinned and sat up, feeling Klaus doing the same behind her until she felt his chin on her shoulder.

"Well I'm hungry," she said with a smile that was shared with the rest of her companions. They grinned almost wolfishly and Klaus lightly bit into her shoulder with approval.

She did what she came to do. She found Stefan and although things hadn't played out the way she wanted them to, Caroline, oddly enough, felt relatively safe. She didn't feel completely sane and she didn't feel completely at ease but she was safe. It was ridiculous to feel around two of the vampires she feared the most. But it made sense to feel it next to Stefan. And somehow, along the way, everything connected and fell together and she managed to accept this, whatever it was.

This was a family. A completely deranged and dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. And it was the only type she could see surrounding herself with. Nothing else would fit anymore. She needed the destruction and the chaos and the fear. She thrived off it, she craved it, she _needed_ it.

And that was enough for her.


End file.
